AROUND THE WORLD.

Beijing defends raid to seize N. Koreans

May 10, 2002|By Items compiled from Tribune news services.

BEIJING, CHINA — Brushing off an escalating diplomatic furor, China insisted Thursday that its police simply were offering protection when they burst into a Japanese consulate to extract two suspected North Korean asylum seekers. Japan demanded an explanation.

Another North Korean scaled the wall of the U.S. Consulate in Shenyang on Thursday, bringing to three the number of North Koreans inside the diplomatic facility in the northeastern city. They remained in diplomatic limbo Thursday night.

Kong Quan, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman, said that when police entered the Japanese consulate Wednesday in Shenyang, "it was totally out of concern for the consul general."

Japan said the two people inside its consulate, said to be members of a North Korean family, were removed despite pleas from Japanese staff. Three other apparent asylum seekers were caught outside.